"Where do you think you are going, Mike?" A voice tore through the hall like thunder. Mike glanced back at his pursuer with a mischievous grin.
"I don't want to be a hero," he yelled with vigor as he jumped over the huge dining table.
But as he landed, a bulky figure obstructed him, making him fall on his butt with a loud thud. The figure bent, enough to look at Mike in the eye.
"And who said your opinion mattered?" The person asked with a cold, chilling voice.
A jagged scar carved across the man's face. He was adorned in white with his coats draped over his shoulders. A strand of white hair fell forward on his face.
The man who was chasing him earlier bowed when he saw the man. "I greet the clan master," he said, his voice visibly shaken.
The clan master looked up to see the man who wore a white shirt and a black coat matched with black trousers.
"How are you, Alex?" He asked with a gentle smile.
"I am fine, master," he replied, not daring to say more than needed.
The clan master nodded, his gaze turning back to Mike on the floor. "When I get back from this battle, we are both going to the military headquarters; master Damien awaits you," he said with an unshakable authority.
"I don't want to be the hero," Mike stammered.
"You don't have a choice, son, this is your path," the clan master said with a flicker of pain.
Mike could not help but nod slowly with a pained expression.
The man smiled, his hands ruffling Mike's white hair. He stood up and walked towards the exit without another word.
"If only my son hadn't awakened the hero grimoire, he would have been able to live a happy life," the man thought, his head bowed low as he passed through the door.
Alex, the head butler, walked toward Mike, his hands extended to help him up. Mike pushed it off as he lifted his body. "I don't need your help," he said, his mouth pouting in anger.
"You both are the same; very stubborn," Alex said with a smile.
"I am nothing like him," Mike yelled. "A man who does not care about his son should not be compared with me," he said as he stormed off into the doorway.
Alex looked at his retreating frame, a bitter smile forming on his lips. The image of a once playful boy popped up in his mind. "If only you didn't awaken the hero grimoire," he thought.
Then his eyes drifted towards the scattered table. With a subtle snap of his fingers, two maids rushed into the hall.
In a seemingly endless expanse of land, several people stood with various expressions and weapons. Floating beside them were grimoires of several colors, with the most popular being green grimoires.
Leading them were two men, one in white, the other wearing a casual, almost playful attire.
The sound of millions of beings rushing towards them was heard as dust was raised into the atmosphere.
The soldiers behind were shivering as they saw the demons, but they did not retreat.
"Lex, the demons are approaching us," the playful one said to the one dressed in white.
"I can see, why are you stating the obvious?" Lex answered, his arms moving beneath the white coat.
"Becoming the master of the Tempest clan hasn't made you change one bit," the playful one said with a wide smile.
"Instead of wasting time worrying about me, Mark, worry about the demon wave," Lex said as his black grimoire released an aurora light.
"Tier 5 storm magic: Storm Tyrant's Wings. Tier 2 storm magic: sky breaker," he cast two spells in succession. Ethereal wings of lightning and wind formed on his back, and in his hand, a white blade that arced with lightning materialised.
"I will handle the demon Lord on the right, you handle the other one," he said as he charged into the horde of demons, the ground cracking beneath his feet.
"Rushes into battle like a maniac but acts normal every other time, what a psychopath," the playful man giggled as his black grimoire also lit with aurora light.
"Tier 3 gravity magic, gravity well," he said with a fierce glint. A huge force dropped on the army of approaching demons, bursting thousands of demons into gore that splattered across the field.
As if it were a signal, the soldiers who stood behind him yelled as they charged into battle.
"Your opponent is me," Lex yelled at the towering demon that had a serpent-like head and green glowing scales.
His sword came down in a swing, the demon dodging by the skin of its teeth. The floor beneath them broke into rubble as it hit.
"Guess you are not as bad as I thought," Lex said with a smirk as he brought his sword back up.
The serpent shrieked, its fangs coming in full display as it pounced towards Lex.
Lex pivoted to the left, then ducked to avoid the claws the beast sent towards his head. He rose sharply, swinging his sword with the momentum.
The serpent raised its hands to block the strike, but got its arm decapitated instead
"A foolish demon lord," Lex grinned as he jumped back, his wing carrying him further.
The demon looked at the arm that fell to the ground, surprise visible in its eyes. Its mouth opened wide as green energy began to coalesce. With a roar, it released the toxic breath.
Lex looked at the approaching attack with furrowed brows. "Is this meant to hurt me?" He asked as he raised his sword. His sword came down as the toxic breath reached him, cleaving it in two halves.
Without wasting time, he bolted to the demon, his sword drawing an arc as it sliced its neck cleanly.
Lex stood calmly on the other side, his head turning to look at the serpent's head fall from its neck. "Pathetic!" Lex scoffed.
"So it was right for me to come here myself," a voice laced with power was heard coming from behind Lex.
As he heard the voice, Lex did not think; his sword moved instinctively to the neck of the being.
But he felt his sword stop. Lex's eyes widened as he felt his sky breaker break into fragments.